Pat Phelan has a horror post about Mrs. Phelans mammogram appointment. After going to the doctor for an appointment she recieved the letter from the HSE (here) for an appointment in 2010.The conclusion though;

Anyways money changed hands, job done, Mrs Phelan is healthy as a horse.
Dont depend on the Irish health care system to save your lives though.

Only seems to confirm that the unacknowledged trend (policy?) of pushing privatisation continues. If you want results, you need insurance and payment. Yet if this continues it will lead to more heartache, more collateral damage as those who can afford it least end up with inferior health care. We may well be having a debate about universal healthcare in a few elections time.